Spring-cushioning device.



C. P. BYRNES.

SPRING UUSHIUNING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 19.03.

PATENTED NOV. O. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 4 3 SHEBTS-SHBET 3.

I UNITED Sfrnfrssv Patented November l0, i903.

PATENT OFFICE.

SPRING-CUSHIONING DEVICE.

SQEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,689, dated November 10, 1903. Application tiled July 8, 1903. Serial llo. 164,630. (No model.)

forming part of this specification, in which- .Figure 1 is a central vertical section showing one form of'the invention. Fig. 2 is a partial detail showing two of the coils in closed position. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l, showing another'form of the invention'. Fig.- 4 is a partial side elevation with one-half broken away, showing the coils of Fig. 3 in I 'closed position; and Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing a further form ofthe invention.

My invention relates to the class of springcnshions,especially those used for car-springs, car-boilers, draft-riggings, 85e., and is designed `to increase the resisting power of the spring and also to dampen the recoil.

, Heretofore in the use of car-springs additionalfrictiou devices have been used to dampen the recoil of the ordinary helical springs, and in car-buiers and draft-gears frictional devices have been added to the springs to increase the resistance and dampen the recoil.`

My invention is designed to make the helical spring itself a friction device and to increase its resistance by coating engaging faces of the coils, which will also dampen the recoil. It is also designed to increase the resistance of a spiral spring by causing the successive coils to exert a torsional action upon v, each other during the closing stroke and, further, to cause a change in the diameter of the spring from the action of the successive coils.

In the drawings, referring to the form of Figs. 1 and 2, in which the invention is shown applied to a car-spring, 2 represents the top cap, 3 the bottom cap, and 4 a helical spring having superimposed coils. The body 5 of each coil of the spring is provided with an outwardly and downwardly projecting lip or flange 6. This flange has an inner inclined face 7 and an enter inclined face 8, and the inner face of one coil or turn engages the outer face of the Inext lower coil or turn as the spring is closed. These surfaces are preferably always in contact'with each other, as in the form shown, though they may be arranged so that. they will separate when the spring is opened. .The lowerA portion of the body of this coil is preferably recessed upwardly, as shown at 9, to form a seat for the rounded surface l0 of the next coil beneath it, when the spring is completely closed, thus preventling distortion of the springs beyond a predetermined amount. During the closing stroke of this spring each coil will rotate slightly on its axis by reason of its lip moving over the next coil. The curve of theseat portion 9 is preferably on the arc of a circle having the same radius as that of the circle on'which the arc of the top portion 10 of these coils is struck; but the centers of thesecircles 'do not coincide, and as the inclined. faces or flanges are each preferably tangent to its circle the coils will rock unt-il they assume 4an intermediate position. Thus f in Fig. 1 the point a indicates the center of the circle on which the curve 9 is struck, while the point b indicates the center of the circle on which the curve 10 is struck. During the closing stroke the point a, being the center of the arc 9, will move outwardly, while the point b will move inwardly until the two coincide in a vertical plane passing through the point c at the intersection of the line joining the circle-centers, Vas shown in Fig. 1. This closed position is illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein the arcs 9 and 10 are seated against each other through the rocking of the coils. This torsional action and twisting of the successive coils iutroduces a large additional resistance to closing of the spring in addition to the friction of the inclined surfaces and the resistance of the spring to the change in diameter which is effected. 0n the springs being released the coils return to their normal position, the

return stroke being dampened somewhat by the flange-faces sliding over each other.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I show a form similar tol ICO and in this form these centers will be carried into a vertical plane passing through the intersection c as the spring is closed. This spring will therefore be decreased in diameter slightly during closing,whexeas the spring of Fig. l will be slightly increased in diameter during the closing stroke.

In cases where it is desired to obtain a more efticient'dampening action during the recoil as the spring opens when the strain isre leased the resistance of the incl-ined faces will increase as one coil tends to rock the other.

`On the closing stroke the dampening resistance will decrease correspondingly. In this form the upper and lower foiiowers or caps 15 and 16 may be tied together' by the telescopic connection consisting of a tubular boss 17 and bolt 18 to limit the opening movement of the spring. 4

The faces l2 and 14 may be substantially vertical, and the spring may be Wound so as to bind these faces together and rock each coil out of its normal position. slightly during' i vthe winding, so that a constant or continuous dampening action or resistance may be pro.- duced during each stroke.

The advant-gages of my invention result from the largely-increased resistance aorded, since to the ordinary resistance of the spring are addedvthe resistance to torsion or twisting of the coils, the frictional resistance, and the resistance to the change of diameter of the helix.

The spring may be use d in car-springs, buffers, draft-gear, dac., thel angular fiange inayproject upwardly, and thel shape and arrangement ot the superimposed coils to increase resistance may be varied without departing from my invention.

I claim- 1. A helical spring having superimposed coils, the coils having coacting faces arranged to give an increased resistance during at least one stroke; substantially as described.

A helical spring having superimposed coils with coacting flanges or cam-faces arranged to increase the resistance.

3. Acylindricalhelicalspringhavingsuperimposed coils with coactingfriction-faces between the Vsuccessive coils; substantially as described. 1

4. A spiral spring having superimposed coils with a continuous angular flange en.- gaging the successive turns and arranged to increase resistance 'during the stroke; substantially as described.

5. A spiral spring having superimposed coils having substantially the same diameters with interfitting surfaces arranged -to cause a torsion orturning of the successive coils during the stroke; substantially as described.

6. A helical "spring having 'superimposed coils of substantially the same diameter, its successive coils being provided Withcoacting faces arranged to change the diameter of the spring during-the stroke; substantially as described. l

7. A helical spring having superimposed' coils with a continuous anguiar li end-aging E t: b c

the successive coils and arranged' to cause torsion and change of diameter of the coils; substantially as described.

8. A spiral spring having its successive coils provided with enacting resistance-faces, the coils,having stops or seats arranged to prevent excessive distortion; substantially as described. 4 4 l f `9. A helical spring'liaving superimposed coils, the body ot' the spring having a continnous angulaiflange arranged to engage the successive coils and increase the resistance during the stroke; substantially as described. 1- l f 10. A spiral spring having coils provided with intertting surfaces around the dilerent parts of each coil and arranged -to cause a torsion upon all parts of each coil during stroke; substantially as described. l

ll. A spiralspring having -a continuous annular iiange projecting from the body and arrangedto engage the `successive coils and increase resist-ance during stroke, the said l CLARENCE P. BYRNES.

Witnesses; A

GEO. B. BLEMING, JOHN MILLER.

IOO 

